As the Arizona Diamondbacks mark 25 years since the 2001 World Series, this isn’t just a story about a championship, it’s about a moment that never left.
And for a brief window, we were able to step back into it.
We brought together Jay Bell, Luis Gonzalez, Greg Swindell, Matt Williams, Greg Colbrunn, and Mike Morgan, reflecting on a season that still lives in Arizona’s collective memory. A moment like this doesn’t happen often. The photo says it all.
Because before smartphones and social media, those who were there didn’t capture it. They carried it.
Luis Gonzalez still feels that every time someone stops him.
“When fans bring up 2001, they remember exactly where they were,” he says. “It never gets old. It feels like yesterday.”
Jay Bell remembers it from just a few feet away. Standing on third base, he watched the ball lift over Derek Jeter’s head, reacting before the stadium even had time to process what was happening.
“As soon as I saw it get over his head, I turned and started running home.”
But what defined that team wasn’t just one play. It was how they were built.
Veterans like Mark Grace and Matt Williams brought experience, composure, and an understanding of October that shaped the clubhouse. Grace delivered consistency and defense, finally earning the championship that had eluded him for years. Williams anchored the team with a steady presence and a bat that showed up when it mattered most. It was a group defined less by flash and more by trust, discipline, and a shared understanding of what it takes to win.
For Bell, the magnitude of it all didn’t fully land until the celebration.
“To be able to celebrate with my family on the field, seeing my mom and dad and my wife crying, that was the first time I realized how important it was,” he says.
For Greg Swindell, the moment is inseparable from the run itself.
“That World Series was one of the best of all time,” he says. “But if I could relive one moment, it would be running in from the bullpen after the game-winning hit. One of the best feelings ever.”
That feeling carried extra weight in 2001.
“At first, we didn’t even know if there would be baseball after 9/11,” Swindell says. “To go on and win, it meant something bigger than just us. It gave people a chance to step away from everything, even if just for a little while.”
Time has a way of reshaping moments like that. For the players, it has brought perspective.
“If I could talk to my younger self,” Gonzalez says, “I’d say enjoy the ride. You don’t know how many chances you’re going to get to do something like that. To be the guy who got the game-winning hit in a World Series, that’s part of baseball history.”
Bell puts it more simply.
“Enjoy it while it lasts,” he says. “Because it goes fast.”
What hasn’t changed is what defined the team itself.
“Play for each other,” Swindell says. “There wasn’t one selfish person on that team. That’s what made it special.”
Twenty five years later, that bond still holds.
“We’re a very tight team to this day,” Gonzalez says. “Whenever we get together, it feels like yesterday.”
And that’s what made this moment, this photo, matter.
Not just who they were then, but how it still feels now.
“This year we’re celebrating a milestone,” Swindell says. “The city deserved it. The state deserved it. I hope the fans are still as proud as we are.”
For Gonzalez, the meaning has only deepened with time.
“It’s incredible,” he says. “To celebrate it with our fans, with the former players, with this state. It’s special. It’s home.”
The Diamondbacks will honor that legacy with a season long tribute, culminating in a 25th Anniversary celebration on September 19th. The night will include throwback jerseys, former player appearances, and in-game moments that revisit the championship that defined a franchise.
“This was the first World Championship for any major team in the state of Arizona,” says Derrick Hall, President, CEO and General Partner of the Diamondbacks. “It remains a tremendous point of pride for our organization.”
mlb.com/dbacks/fans/world-series-anniversary